Following centuries of persecution and the destruction and degradation of wetland habitat, the coastal populations of the American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus, of Colombia and Venezuela show signs of recovery, in part, due to conservation efforts. Here we first report on the sequence of events surrounding a crocodile arrival and death in the Southern Dutch Antilles in 2024, and discuss this along with three additional older records for the same island group. The results are then integrated regionally by discussing three remarkable crocodile records for the island of San Andrés, Colombia, since 2012, and nine for the Cayman Islands since 2006. The findings indicate the species' ability to disperse hundreds of kilometers across the open sea to colonize new and/or former habitat. We conclude by arguing that the islands we discuss should also be considered part of the current natural range of occurrence of the species, even though this has generally not been acknowledged, and the few animals noticed have typically been persecuted. Finally, we urge island governments and conservation organizations to prepare awareness and action plans to accommodate this vulnerable and valuable top predator in the wild.

Invasive species pose a significant threat to native wildlife, ecosystems, and biodiversity, often resulting in ecological degradation, economic losses, and public health risks. Globalization, particularly through the use of shipping containers, yachts, and other transport vessels, has accelerated the spread of non-native fauna worldwide. Here, I report the occurrence of the non-native Cosmopolitan Spider Hunter, Cithaeron praedonius, from New Providence, Bahamas.

La petite mangouste indienne (Urva auropunctata), introduite dans les Caraïbes et le Pacifique pour contrôler les populations de rats, est responsable du déclin de nombreuses espèces indigènes. En Martinique, elle prédate les œufs et les jeunes de trois espèces de tortues marines qui viennent pondre sur les plages. Pour limiter cet impact, une régulation annuelle de la population de mangoustes par piégeage est mise en œuvre dans le cadre du Plan National d'Action pour les Tortues Marines des Antilles Françaises. Cette étude compare l'efficacité des pièges létaux DOC-250 et des cages pièges (ratières) sur deux sites martiniquais, en examinant les taux de capture de mangoustes et d'espèces non ciblées ainsi que l'inactivité des pièges. Nos résultats montrent que les pièges DOC-250 sont plus efficaces pour capturer les mangoustes dans le nord de l'île, mais ont une efficacité équivalente aux ratières dans le sud. Par ailleurs, ces pièges capturent davantage d'espèces non ciblées dans les zones riches en crustacés, suggérant que des modifications des pièges sont nécessaires pour une meilleure sélectivité. Les ratières, quant à elles, sont plus souvent inactives, réduisant leur efficacité. Les pièges DOC-250 se révèlent plus pratiques sur le long terme, ce qui en fait une option privilégiée pour les campagnes prolongées ou en zones isolées et une alternative avantageuse aux cages traditionnellement utilisées dans les opérations de contrôle des mangoustes. Nous recommandons de déployer ces pièges durant plusieurs mois afin de réduire la prédation des tortues en période de ponte, renforçant ainsi les efforts de contrôle des prédateurs sur les sites de ponte en Martinique.

We conducted a scientific literature review and a comprehensive analysis of data based on international fisheries of wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) to determine catch trends and data gaps among jurisdictions in the Western Central Atlantic Ocean (WCA). This is the first regional catch review for wahoo in the WCA. Based on FAO catch records from 1950 to 2021, reported commercial landings increased nearly fivefold, but 18 nations still do not report commercial wahoo landings to the FAO, yet are known to catch the species. When recreational landings were combined with reported commercial landings for 2019, total direct wahoo catch was 3,547 metric tons, of which 57% was estimated to be recreational. When compared to dolphinfish catch, wahoo was nearly four times lower for the region, but several nations report more substantial wahoo fisheries than dolphinfish fisheries. Despite the importance of the recreational wahoo sector throughout the region, artisanal landings are estimated to be higher according to catch reconstruction data. Similar to dolphinfish, the presence of fish aggregating devices (FADs) in different parts of the WCA, as well as environmental processes (e.g., Sargassum blooms), lead to the presumption that higher amounts of juvenile wahoo may be caught throughout the region, and anecdotal evidence of stock decline has been suggested. Results stress the immediate need for WCA nations to adopt a precautionary approach for proper fishery management of wahoo throughout the WCA, to increase spawning biomass thus strengthening a foundation of long-term overall stock health and conservation.

Las aberraciones cromáticas, como el leucismo, son cada vez más documentadas en aves, aunque sus causas e implicaciones siguen siendo poco comprendidas. En Costa Rica, estudios recientes han reportado múltiples casos de anomalías pigmentarias, incluidas leucismo, encanecimiento progresivo y otras mutaciones, lo que resalta los desafíos en su diagnóstico y clasificación precisa. Aquí documentamos el primer caso registrado de leucismo parcial en una monjita (Euphonia luteicapilla), observado en una zona semiurbana de Costa Rica. Esta especie es endémica de Centroamérica. El individuo presentaba manchas blancas en las alas, consistentes con leucismo parcial, una anomalía pigmentaria frecuentemente asociada a mutaciones genéticas. El leucismo en aves se relaciona típicamente con la ausencia congénita de células productoras de melanina. Sin embargo, la causa exacta de la aberración en este caso sigue sin determinarse. El aumento en los reportes podría reflejar mayor estrés ambiental o una mejora en la documentación. Este hallazgo contribuye al creciente conocimiento sobre las aberraciones cromáticas en aves, las cuales podrían servir como indicadores de disturbios ambientales. La documentación continua de estos casos ayudará a profundizar nuestro entendimiento de estos fenómenos.

Secretive birds are hard to detect, and thus, likely underestimated when surveyed, potentially preventing measures to protect them. We identified a sampling period and method that would yield the most reliable estimates of population numbers of the secretive Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus vieilloti). We addressed these objectives by comparing point counts (passive) and playback broadcast (active) survey methods from January to December, 2022 at Cambalache State Forest, Puerto Rico. We surveyed 20 stations (radius = 50 m each) between sunrise and 10 am, employing the time-of-detection method. We recorded strong responses from C. vieilloti after birds had been stimulated by playback broadcasts (recapture probabilities), corresponding to a behavioral response (Mb). For example, average capture (p) and recapture (c) probabilities within the peak breeding season for active surveys were 0.23 ± 0.10 and 0.49 ±0.08, respectively. Active surveys yielded higher estimates of C. vieilloti compared to passive surveys. For example, active survey expected population numbers (15.6 ha or area sampled) during peak breeding season were 42.87 ± 12.08 compared to 19.60 ± 2.08 individuals from passive surveys. Coefficients of variation population estimates of active surveys ranged between 10 and 16%, with one exception (28%), well within acceptable levels for wildlife studies. We show that secretive species like C. vieilloti can be reliably surveyed using playback broadcasts. Surveys should be conducted during the peak breeding season when estimates are higher and have better precision. Conducting similar tests on other secretive species could ensure that their status is not mischaracterized and that they receive the benefits of appropriate conservation measures, if warranted.

The presence of Archimestra teleboas (Ménétriés, 1832) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Cuba is recorded for the first time, based on individuals observed and collected near Maisí, Guantánamo province, eastern Cuba, on January 29, 2025. This constitutes the first record of the genus and species outside of Hispaniola, where it was believed to be endemic. The possible causes and implications of this discovery are discussed.

Salmonella Typhimurium, a zoonotic and foodborne pathogen, has experienced a surge in antibiotic resistance, contributing to a global public health crisis. In response to this crisis, the isolation and studying of bacteriophages has gained significance as an alternative biological control and/or treatment modalities in combating these bacterial pathogens. This study reports the isolation of Salmonella bacteriophages from wastewater at the treatment plant in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. MBBL_B and MBBL_S, two Salmonella Typhimurium bacteriophages, were isolated and their host range was tested against eight serovars. The results showcase two isolated bacteriophages from the class Caudoviricetes with the ability to infect various serovars of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, including Typhimurium, Tennessee, Lexington, Havana, and Heidelberg, highlighting the potential use of bacteriophages for biocontrol of foodborne pathogens.

Reportamos por primera vez el género Incilius de las islas del Caribe hondureño, específicamente Incilius valliceps, a través de tres especímenes encontrados en la isla de Roatán. Debido a que encontramos muchos individuos de diferentes edades, suponemos que la población de esta especie está bien establecida. Discutimos el aumento de la biodiversidad herpetofaunística observada en las Islas de la Bahía en los últimos años. Además, planteamos la hipótesis de que Rhinella horribilis también pudo haber sido introducida incidentalmente en Isla Guanaja. Para validar nuestras consideraciones, recomendamos la realización de un estudio molecular destinado a confirmar los orígenes genéticos de estas poblaciones de anfibios en las respectivas islas.